* This belongs
to the collection of David & Helga Zimmerly.
North Alaska Retrieval Kayak
University Museum, University of Pennsylvania,
UM N/N (see
Lines drawing in
PDF)
Photo by William Bacon, Jr..
Length - 9' 6.8"
Beam - 23.2"
Depth to Sheer - 7.6"
Weight - 25 lbs.
Loaded kayak stable to 37 degrees
This short, wide kayak was named qayapauraq, little kayak, or
qayapaq, fat kayak.
It was developed as a retrieval kayak after
rifles replaced harpoons. Seals or
other sea mammals could be shot from
the floe edge. The kayak was then
quickly launched and the animal retrieved.
The kayak is designed to be carried
easily on a sled and can hold a fair
load. It is light-weight and reasonably stable.
It might make a good car-top
craft for exploring small waterways.
